EDITORIAL Step by terrifying step, the Reagan administration closes one door to peace after another, snubs one Soviet peace proposal after another, and moves stead- ily toward a full-scale arms race with all its dangerous consequences. The logic of Washington’s unprecedented military build-up is coming home to roost. The 1979 Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, even though unratified by the U.S. Congress, nevertheless basically kept a cap on an unbridled weapons race. But today, as the U.S. submarine fleet expands (the latest Trident, the USS Nevada, was launched last week), and B-52 bombers are being fitted with cruise missiles at the rate of one every 21 days, SALT II has become an impediment to the Pentagon. The first official indication that the U.S. will scuttle SALT II came last week when Reagan announced the B- 52/cruise program would continue past the treaty limits of 1,320 in December. This was accompanied by an anti-Soviet tirade in which he attempted to blame the USSR for the impending end of SALT II. Just days later, U.S. Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger told West Point cadets, “We are no longer bound by that flawed agreement.” He then said on national television: “Our security requirements will be the primary, indeed, the only concern. Whether you’re technically in compliance (with SALT) or not, is a totally irrelevant factor.” This belligerent posture was carried into the NATO meeting of foreign ministers in Halifax where U.S. Someone should keep a tally of the victims of apar- theid in South Africa between June 2, 1986 and when- ever External Affairs Minister Joe Clark and his Tory government decide to act firmly against Pretoria. Someone should record the names of those who will _ be shot, whipped, clubbed, gassed, tortured, jailed and banned between the day, when Ottawa once more refused to apply total mandatory sanctions, and the day the Tories will finally understand there is no other course. These names should then be read out in Parliament while each Tory member is required to sit in his/her place and listen. The entire proceeding should be televised in every Canadian classroom and living- room. Despite the latest and highly publicized plea from Bishop Desmond Tutu for immediate mandatory sanctions against the cruel regime, Clark told the country June 2 that his government plans no action for at least another month. Mulroney and Clark have End of SALT will open ___ terrifying new arms race Secretary of State George Shultz, despite serious res- ervations by the other NATO member-states, called SALT II “obsolete, unratified and being violated.” Shultz announced U.S. policy would now be tied to “Soviet behavior” on such issues as “human rights, Afghanistan, Nicaragua and Cambodia.” The Soviet Union immediately made its position clear on this latest provocation. It accused Washing- ton of “opening the floodgates” for a new arms race, and pledged it would take “‘the necessary practical steps to prevent the military strategic balance from being upset...” This is fully in keeping with the USSR’s position that it will not permit NATO to achieve military superiority. Thus, with SALT II scuttled and the 1972 Anti- Ballistic Missile treaty under severe strain, a new, unpredictable, unrestricted arms race will begin on land, sea, in the air and in space. The Reagan doctrine and the right-wing agenda for the 1980-1988 period will have carried through. But it’s still not too late for Washington’s NATO allies, to try to restrain their “senior partner.” They, Canada, included, should urge the United States not to break SALT II. The reservations and concerns expressed at Halifax should be turned into a public demand that Washington not only honor SALT II, but begin to come to agreements with the USSR on measures to prevent a new, unpredictable and volatile arms race. Children die, Tories sit plenty of time. They and their Tory colleagues are safe and well-fed; their children aren’t being killed on the streets. Joe Clark actually attended a banquet in Bishop Tutu’s honor in Toronto on May 30 and listened to the message of immediacy and urgency by Tutu. But, hiding behind the fig leaf of the eminent persons group and the coming Comonwealth conference in August, Clark then told the Commons that Canada will sit tight. Pleas for action by Liberal leader John Turner and the NDP’s Ed Broadbent failed, as did Bishop Tutu, to sway the Tories. But as the enthusiastic response to the Arts Against Apartheid Festival in Toronto and to the numerous appearances and message of Bishop Tutu showed, Canadians want real action now — notin Joe Clark’s good time. As South African patriots die, Joe Clark and the Tories sit. They should never be allowed to forget that. ELCOMeE meee Coes Profiteer of the week The next time you waste your lunch hour standing in 4 bank wondering why they can’t afford more staff, the answe! ei can. Royal Bank’s profits for the six months ending April © $265.5-million — up from a measly $226.5-million a year ao i bank’s assets totalled $97.5-billion on the same date. HapPY™ hour! : Editor — SEAN GRIFFIN Assistant Editor — DAN KEETON Business & Circulation Manager — MIKE PRONIUK Graphics — ANGELA KENYON Ag Published weekly at 2681 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. VSK 1Z5 Phone (604) 251-1186 Subscription Rate: Canada — $16 one year; $10 six months Foreign — $25 one year; Second class mail registration number 1560 eldom does the real history of B.C. — by which we mean, the his- tory of the working class who built this province — find its way into popular accountings. And, because of the political realities of our day, does it receive much People and issues years — and has, until recent times? f\ Ithough he’s been imprisoned bY % racist South African regime fo!” virtually unknown by most of the a the world — the courageous leadet % "|; African National Congress has cont” attention in the rest of Canada. So it makes us all the more pleased to report that at least in the community of Cumberland, the working people of that Vancouver Island municipality will receive their due this month. The occasion will be the dedication of two cairns — stone markers — honoring the area’s coal miners and its Chinese and Japanese citizens, and the laying of a wreath at the grave of labor organizer and martyr Ginger Goodwin on Saturday, June 21. The day-long ceremonies are being hosted by the Cumberland and District Historical Society, with the assistance of several unions: the Canadian Association of Industrial, Mechanical and Allied Workers, the Canadian Association of Smelter and Allied Workers, and Sud- bury’s Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers Union, Local 598. The affair has a twofold purpose. For the local chamber of commerce, which supports the event, it is an effort to boost the tourist potential for Cumberland. But perhaps more meaningfully, for the histor- ical society, the key purpose of the Workers Memorial Day is the promotion of health and safety in the workplace, the commemoration of B.C. workers killed on the job, and the reverence and respect due to Ginger Goodwin. We haven’t the space to go into detail, but we can report that ceremonies begin at 10:30 a.m., when participants meet at the Cumberland Museum, corner of Dunsmuir Avenue and First Street. Following that is -a cairn dedication at the No. 6 Mine, where 295 were killed between 1864 and 1964; a wreath-laying at Ginger Good- win’s grave in Cumberland memorial cemetery’ a cairn-laying at the Chinese and Japanese cemetery; a picnic, cerem- ony and musical presentation at Kin Park, Dunsmuir and Sixth Streets; and a special dinner and dance in the evening. For further information, the Cumber- land historical society can be phoned at 336-2445. * * * une 21 is a busy day — we pause here to give an unabashed plug for the Tribune Victory Banquet at the Russian Hall in Vancouver, beginning at 6 p.m. — and we note that, again on Van- couver Island, the local peace forces have their activities planned. For Vancouver Island peace groups, the activities actually begin on June 17, when groups of marchers from both Courtenay and Victoria begin a five day peace walk along the Island Highway. they’re scheduled to arrive sometime early on the following Saturday at Nanoose Bay, just north of Nanaimo. The joint walks are planned to draw attention to the aims of Nanoose Conver- sion Campaign, the group which has camped on the shores of the bay where the United States Navy uses the Canadian Forces Maritime Testing Range to exper- iment with a number of submarine wea- pons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles and nuclear-capable depth charges. The campaign is seeking a conversion of the base to peaceful uses. - Those wishing to participate in the walk, which is supported by some 25 local peace organizations, can write the Nanoose Peace Walk, Box 242, Merville, B.C. VOR 2M0, or phone the following numbers: 335-0036 (Hornby Island), 337-8133 (Courtenay), or 383-1795 (Victoria). to make his mark in the struggle 4 apartheid. Now, with the struggle int fied and making headlines everywhe!®: presence and accomplishments of N€ Mandela, and his wife Winnie — wh? consistently defied house arrest and ? ning” by the government in Pretori4 are part of household conversation. wl In keeping with this, the U.S. ee television station, KCTS, is airing 25 ale on the two revolutionaries. Entitled ™, dela, the one-hour documentary ex# the lives and work of the Mandelas ff? the day Nelson was imprisoned in 1958, of to the present. It will be aired first Wednesday, June 25 at 9 p.m., and a8 on Monday, June 30,at1 p.m. 19 Accompanying the June 25 showit® Mandela is Women of South Afri es ninety-minute presentation that incl i two films: “Maids and Madams,” © cerning the lives of black domesti@ | South Africa and “South Africa Bel. To Us,” which includes a clande& interview with Winnie Mandela. It si at 10 p.m. pl KCTS can be received by any A subscriber on Channel 9. Be 4 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JUNE 11, 1986